This invention relates to an improved straw dispenser. It relates more particularly to a straw dispenser which is arranged to drop straws into the open tops of beverage containers. The dispenser is particularly suited for use in conjunction with a machine of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,144,976 which makes beverage pouches having a beverage compartment and a separate straw compartment. A straw is dropped into the straw compartment, following which the beverage compartment is filled and both compartments are then sealed, making a self-contained beverage pouch with straw.
Conventionally, straw dispensers used for this purpose dispense straws one at a time into a succession of single beverage pouches. Recently, however, to increase production, a container-making machine has been designed which forms, fills and seals a succession of pouch sets, with each set consisting of several pouches arranged close together side-by-side.
It has been proposed to use several prior straw dispensers together in order to deposit the requisite number of straws into each set of pouches. In practice, however, this has not proved feasible because the dispensers themselves are relatively bulky and it has proven quite difficult to reliably conduct straws simultaneously into each set of pouches as each set is advanced through the straw dispensing station. Sometimes a straw, particularly one which is irregular or bent, becomes jammed and does not reach its destination at the proper time. This can result in one or another of the pouches being filled and sealed without a straw. If the jam persists, the straw dispenser and, therefore, the entire container production line must be shut down until the problem is corrected.
This problem is exacerbated in many prior machines because the locations at which straws are most likely to become jammed are not readily accessible so that it takes a relatively long time to remove the offending straws. Other conventional machines of this general type are overly complex, making them unduly expensive to make and maintain.